Governor Ganduje bows to pressure, backtracks on directive banning sharing rides by men and women

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, has backtrack his recent directive banning persons of opposite sexes from entering the same tricycle in the state following public outrage and condemnations.



The state government had announced On December 25 that from January 2020 henceforth, it would be illegal for men and women to enter the same tricycle in the state.

It said the action was a show of his commitment to upholding Islamic tenets in the state.

But reacting to the backlash, Tanko-Yakasai, the governor’s spokesman, said on Tuesday that the order has been suspended for further review of its practicability.



He said the rule was initially introduced during the era of Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Kano, between 2003 and 2011.

He added that the Ganduje administration only re-introduced it to curb reports of female sexual harassment in the means of transportation.




“Yes, it’s true. Well, they just want to review it. You know it was an old law that was enacted during the era of Ibrahim Shekarau. So, the Hisbau committee was just reintroducing it,” Tanko-Yakasai said.

“So, I think they want to just look at it again and make some adjustments because the realities back then and now are definitely not again. They want to look at the law again and see how practical and realistic it is now to see how they can adjust it.


“There are a lot of reports of females being abused especially in the evenings in Keke NAPEPs (tricycle), so this would see how the security can be improved.

“I think there was a misconception in the new law passed. It is not like they are completely banning men and women from entering same tricycle. What they said is that if the keke picks a lady first, every other passenger have to be female and if it starts with a guy, the rest have to be guys. So, they just want to look at it again and see how practical and realistic it will be.”